-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As hosts of the largest carnival in world football , the pressure is on for South Africa 's national football team to ignite the imagination of local fans by performing well at the 2010 World Cup .

If Bafana Bafana is to succeed in their mission , conventional wisdom would be that coach Carlos Alberto Parreira will turn to his best players to deliver results .

However , despite firing in 31 goals in 77 appearances to become South Africa 's all-time record goal scorer , Benni McCarthy has had question marks hanging over his participation for his country come June .

The prolific striker , who plays for English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers , has only recently returned from a period of international exile , just the latest incident in a stormy history with his country 's football team .

He first angered Bafana Bafana fans by going into international retirement in 2002 aged just 25 . The reason ? Traveling to international games was hampering his ability to play European football for Celta Vigo and , later , Porto .

`` The whole pattern was killing my career , that 's why I quit international football , '' he told British newspaper The Independent in 2004 . `` African football needs the same calendar as Europe otherwise its best players are going to suffer . ''

He was talked into returning , only to quit again after the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations when the president of the South African FA , Mubarak Mahomad , made an uncomplimentary comment about his performance .

That period of self-imposed exile lasted 20 months , until new coach Carlos Alberto Parreira flew to Great Britain to talk to McCarthy , who was now at Blackburn Rovers . But after Parreira quit to care for his sick wife , McCarthy fell out with replacement boss Joel Santana after he refused to play in two warm up matches last March .

Despite pleas from South African President Jacob Zuma , Santana refused to pick him . But a run of eight defeats in nine games , which saw the team slump to 86th on the FIFA rankings , Santana was sacked . With goals being South Africa 's biggest problem , it was no surprise that returning coach Parreira made persuading McCarthy to return , for a second time , his top priority .

Sure enough , McCarthy returned to the fray last month against Japan . The 32-year-old told local press : `` I want to start afresh and help Bafana do well in the World Cup finals . It is every player 's dream to play for his country ... and I have matured . ''

`` In the past I was a loose cannon and I apologize if I was wrong -LSB- but -RSB- I am still the best at what I do - and that is scoring goals , '' he added .

Few could argue with McCarthy 's record . Born in Hanover Park , an impoverished township in Cape Town known for its high unemployment , poverty and gang-related violence , McCarthy escaped to become one of Africa 's most successful football exports .

McCarthy started his career in 1995 aged 18 with Seven Stars of Cape Town , where 27 goals in 29 games earned him a move to Cape Town Spurs who soon merged with Ajax Cape Town , a feeder side to their famous Dutch namesake .

McCarthy 's potential was enough for Ajax Amsterdam to sign him . Joining in 1997 he scored nine goals to help them win the Eredivisie in his first year , which eventually attracted the attentions of Spain 's Celta Vigo .

Although it did n't work out in Spain , his move to Portugal 's FC Porto was a roaring success . In the 2003/04 season he helped Jose Mourinho 's side win the UEFA Champions League with McCarthy memorably grabbing two goals in the second round defeat of Manchester United .

McCarthy moved to Premier League outfit Blackburn Rovers in 2006 and scored plenty of goals - he was in the top three league scorers in his debut season - but first-team opportunities have been limited of late .

Yet ever since McCarthy made his international debut in a 2-0 home defeat to Holland 1997 , South Africa has been a different side with him in it . Gloom has followed South Africa 's footballing exploits before this summer 's World Cup . But after his most recent ` comeback ' , Bafana Bafana fans will hope that McCarthy can help put the dark days under Joel Santana firmly behind them .

Hear what Benni has to say in CNN 's coverage of the World Cup draw , live on Friday 4th December .

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South Africa legend Benni McCarthy is part of CNN 's World Cup Draw coverage , Friday 4th December

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McCarthy is Bafana Bafana 's leading scorer with 32 goals , including two in their previous World Cup adventures

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McCarthy currently plays for Blackburn Rovers and has had spells with Ajax , Celta Vigo and FC Porto